A common question from small-business owners: “How do I celebrate my company’s anniversary?”
One way is to create an interesting 20-minute presentation about your industry, or how people can solve a problem related to your industry or in their own small businesses, then offer to speak for free at the hundreds of service clubs, chamber of commerce groups and club meetings in your community that are looking for speakers.
The media seldom write stories about a company’s anniversary unless there’s a good hook. Nancy Juetten’s Main Street Media Savvy Blog tells the story of Alice Cunningham of Olympic Hot Tub Co. in western Washington state, who spoke to the North Seattle Community College Network Breakfast last year about why it’s important for business people to make their products and services easy to buy, own, and refer. Alice didn’t know that freelance writer David Volk would be among the guests in the audience.
David pitched Alice’s story to the editor of a new spa industry trade magazine. This month, she and her husband, Blair Osborn, are on the cover of the debut issue of Spa Retailer Magazine under the headline “$10 Million Woman: Why Alice Cunningham Left the U.S. Labor Department for the Spa Business.”
But that’s not all. The Madison Park Times in Washington wrote a similar story August 3: “Soaking in Success: Madrona Couple Enjoys Getting into Hot Water with Their Hot Tub Business.”
If you’re nervous about speaking, join your local Toastmasters group to learn platform skills. If you want to become a professional speaker and charge a fee for your presentations, join the National Speakers Association. If you don’t have time for those group but need more help with speaking, check out Tom Antion’s free articles for speakers.
